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Catalog Home : Graduate School Catalog

Water Resources Science

Link to a list of faculty for this program.

Contact Information—Director of Graduate Studies-Twin Cities, Water Resources Science, University of Minnesota, 173 McNeal Hall, 1985 Buford Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108 (612-624-9282; fax 612-625-1263; wrs@umn.edu; http://wrs.umn.edu); and Associate Director of Graduate Studies-Duluth, Water Resources Science, 213 RLB, University of Minnesota, Duluth, MN 55812 (218-726-8891; fax 218-726-6979).

Along with the program-specific requirements listed below, please read the General Information section of this catalog for Graduate School requirements that apply to all major fields.

Curriculum—This cross-campus interdisciplinary program provides comprehensive training in water resources science, with integration across scientific disciplines. A structured interdisciplinary graduate curriculum is offered. The program includes a set of core courses plus electives in the following areas of emphasis at the M.S. and Ph.D. levels: aquatic biology, environmental chemistry, hydrologic science, limnology, water management technology, water policy, water quality, and watershed science and management. Approximately 80 courses offered within 15 other graduate programs are available to students majoring in water resources science.
The goal of the program is to produce scientists with strong technical skills in disciplines relevant to water resources and a broad understanding of the hydrologic cycle and associated ecosystems, interconnectedness of the sciences involved in managing aquatic resources, and interplay between the biophysical sciences and social sciences in developing and implementing public policies related to water.

The program involves faculty from the following departments on the Twin Cities campus: Applied Economics; Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering; Civil Engineering; Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior; Entomology; Environmental and Occupational Health; Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology; Forest Resources; Geography; Horticultural Science; Geology and Geophysics; Microbiology, Plant Biology; Soil, Water, and Climate; and the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs. It also involves faculty from the following departments on the Duluth campus: Biology, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Geography, Geological Sciences, Physics, and Political Science, as well as the Large Lakes Observatory and the Natural Resources Research Institute in Duluth.

Prerequisites for Admission—The program is flexible enough to accommodate students from a variety of backgrounds. Normally students have a bachelor's degree in physical or biological science or engineering. Recommended academic preparation includes one year (or two semesters) each of calculus, physics, and chemistry and one biology course. Further preparation may be expected from students wishing to specialize in certain areas of the program. Students who do not have a master's degree in a related subject are admitted to the M.S. program first, even if their long-term goal is a Ph.D. degree. Availability of funding and willingness of a member of the graduate faculty to serve as an advisor are important criteria for admission to the Ph.D. program.

Special Application Requirements—Applicants must submit three letters of recommendation via the Graduate School ApplyYourself Web site. These letters should be from professors qualified to estimate applicant's class rank and evaluate their ability to complete a program of graduate study, or from persons who can assess their professional or research potential. These letters also may be used in applying for financial aid.

Applicants must also submit a résumé of their academic history and professional experience and a statement of purpose, including the proposed area of emphasis. Applicants should submit results of the GRE; only rarely, under extenuating circumstances, will students be considered for admission without GRE scores. Students may be admitted any semester but are strongly encouraged to begin fall semester and to submit their application by January 1 in the year they expect to begin their studies.

Key to test abbreviations (GRE, TOEFL, GMAT, MELAB).

For an online application or for more information about Graduate School admissions, see the General Information section in this catalog, or visit the Graduate School Web site.

Courses—Refer to Water Resources Science (WRS) in University Courses for courses pertaining to the program. Check the program Web site at http://wrs.umn.edu for additional course information.

Use of 4xxx Courses—Use of 4xxx courses is permitted for degree requirements based on approval by the adviser and the director of graduate studies.

M.S. Degree Requirements

Students may choose Plan A, which requires a thesis, or Plan B, which requires additional coursework and a major project. Both plans incorporate courses offered on the Twin Cities and Duluth campuses.

Students must complete courses in four core areas: hydrology (surface and/or hydrogeology); environmental/water chemistry; limnology; and water resources policy, economics, and management; and two electives in such areas of emphasis as aquatic biology, hydrologic science, watershed science and management, and water management technology. One elective must be from an approved list of technical courses dealing with water quality science/management. A minimum of two supporting courses (at least 6 credits) outside of aquatic science also are required. Training in responsible conduct of research and ethics is also required. Approved core and area of emphasis courses are listed on the program Web site at http://wrs.umn.edu.
A minimum of 20 course credits (plus 10 thesis credits) are required for Plan A and a minimum of 30 credits are required for Plan B (up to 3 credits may be used for the Plan B project). Students who had classes equivalent to those in the WRS core as undergraduates may substitute other classes to meet the Graduate School minimum credit requirements.

Language Requirements—None.

Final Exam—The final exam is oral.

Minor Requirements for Students Majoring in Other Fields—A master's minor requires 9 credits, including WRS 5101 (3 cr) or in Duluth POL 4201 (4 cr) and two of the other core courses described under M.S. degree requirements.

Ph.D. Degree Requirements

Coursework is tailored to student interests, and many areas of emphasis are possible. Core courses are offered on both the Twin Cities and Duluth campuses.

Students complete coursework equivalent to that of an M.S. in water resources science, with additional coursework in an area of emphasis. There are no specific credit requirements in the major, but Ph.D. programs normally include at least 40 course credits beyond the B.S. level, including relevant coursework taken for a master's degree and a required minimum of 12 credits in a minor or supporting program.

Language Requirements—None.

Minor Requirements for Students Majoring in Other Fields—Doctoral students must complete 12 credits, including WRS 5101 (3 cr) or in Duluth POL 4201 (4 cr), a core courses described under the M.S. degree requirements, and two electives from one of the areas of emphasis.

Faculty

For latest graduate faculty listings, see <www.grad.umn.edu/faculty_rosters/faculty.html>.

Key to membership categories (abbreviations after faculty names).

Professor
E. Calvin Alexander, Jr., Earth Science, Geology and Geophysics, SM
Dorothy Anderson, Forest Resources, SM
James L. Anderson, Soil, Water, and Climate, SM
Roger E. A. Arndt, Civil Engineering, SM
John M. Baker, Soil, Water, and Climate, SM
Marvin Bauer, Forest Resources, SM
James C. Bell, Soil, Water, and Climate, SM
David D. Biesboer, Plant Biology, SM
Paul R. Bloom, Soil, Water, and Climate, SM
Stephen A. Bortone, Biology, Duluth, SM
Patrick L. Brezonik, Civil Engineering, SM
Kenneth N. Brooks, Forest Resources, SM
Erik T. Brown, Geological Sciences, Duluth, SM
Charles J. Clanton, Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering, SM
Steve M. Colman, Geological Sciences, Duluth, SM
K. William Easter, Applied Economics, SM
Leonard C. Ferrington, Entomology, SM
Efi Foufoula, Civil Engineering, SM
Susan M. Galatowitsch, Horticultural Science, SM
Philip J. Gersmehl, Geography, SM
Florence K. Gleason, Plant Biology, SM
Sagar M. Goyal, Veterinary Diagnostic Medicine, SM
John S. Gulliver, Civil Engineering, SM
Satish C. Gupta, Soil, Water, and Climate, SM
Randall Hicks, Biology, Duluth, SM
Miki Hondzo, Civil Engineering, SM
Emi Ito, Earth Science, Geology and Geophysics, SM
Thomas C. Johnson, Geological Sciences, Duluth, SM
John F. Moncrief, Soil, Water, and Climate, SM
Howard Mooers, Geological Sciences, Duluth, SM
David J. Mulla, Soil, Water, and Climate, SM
Edward A. Nater, Soil, Water, and Climate, SM
Raymond M. Newman, Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, SM
John L. Nieber, Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering, SM
Christopher Paola, Earth Science, Geology and Geophysics, SM
John J. Pastor, Biology, Duluth, SM
James A. Perry, Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, SM
Hans-Olaf Pfannkuch, Earth Science, Geology and Geophysics, SM
David G. Pitt, Landscape Architecture, SM
Steve Polasky, Applied Economics, SM
Carl Richards, Biology, Duluth, SM
Carl J. Rosen, Soil, Water, and Climate, SM
Carlisle Ford Runge, Applied Economics, SM
Michael Sadowsky, Soil, Water, and Climate, SM
Mark W. Seeley, Soil, Water, and Climate, SM
Michael J. Semmens, Civil Engineering, SM
Peter Sorensen, Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, SM
Fotis Sotiropoulos, Civil Engineering, SM
Susan Stafford, Forest Resources, SM
Heinz G. Stefan, Civil Engineering, SM
Robert W. Sterner, Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, SM
Deborah L. Swackhamer, Environmental Health Sciences, SM
Michael Sydor, Physics, Duluth, SM
Harvey Thorleifson, Minnesota Geological Survey, SM
Elon S. Verry, Forest Resources, ASM
Vaughan R. Voller, Civil Engineering, SM
Bruce N. Wilson, Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering, SM

Adjunct Professor
Daniel Engstrom, Earth Science, Geology and Geophysics, AM2
Janet R. Keough, Biology, Duluth, AM2
Anthony Runkel, Earth Science, Geology and Geophysics, AM2
Bruce Vondracek, Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, SM

Associate Professor
William Arnold, Civil Engineering, SM
Todd W. Arnold, Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, SM
Randal J. Barnes, Civil Engineering, SM
Donn Branstrator, Biology, Duluth, SM
James B. Cotner, Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, SM
Christina Gallup, Geological Sciences, Duluth, SM
Sarah E. Hobbie, Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, SM
Frances R. Homans, Applied Economics, SM
Raymond N. Hozalski, Civil Engineering, SM
Thomas Hrabik, Biology, Duluth, SM
Katherine Klink, Geography, SM
Timothy LaPara, Civil Engineering, SM
Kristopher McNeill, Chemistry, SM
Elizabeth C. Minor, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Duluth, SM
Kristen Nelson, Forest Resources, SM
Paige J. Novak, Civil Engineering, SM
Fernando Porte-Agel, Civil Engineering, SM
Gary Sands, Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering, SM
Ingrid Schneider, Forest Resources, SM
Matt Simcik, Environmental and Occupational Health, SM
Steven Sternberg, Chemical Engineering, Duluth, SM
Jeff Strock, Soil, Water, and Climate, M2
John Swenson, Geological Sciences, Duluth, SM
Steven J. Taff, Applied Economics, SM
Dong Wang, Soil, Water, and Climate, SM
Nigel Wattrus, Geological Sciences, Duluth, SM
Tongxin Zhu, Geography, Duluth, M2

Adjunct Associate Professor
Paul Capel, Civil Engineering, ASM
David Fulton, Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, SM
Jason D. Stockwell, Biology, Duluth, AM2

Assistant Professor
Jay Austin, Large Lakes Observatory, Duluth, M2
Dennis Becker, Forest Resources, M2
Jacques Finlay, Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, M2
Jeffrey A. Gralnick, Biotechnology Institute, M2
Qiuqiong Huang, Applied Economics, M2
Kimberly M. Hill, Civil Engineering, SM
Katsumi Matsumoto, Earth Science, Geology, and Geophysics, M2
Jennifer King, Soil, Water, and Climate, SM
Joseph McFadden, Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, M2
Lee Penn, Chemistry, M2
Martin Saar, Earth Science, Geology and Geophysics, M2
Sangwon Suh, Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering, M2
Edward Swain, Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, AM2
Josef Werne, Chemistry, Duluth, SM

Adjunct Assistant Professor
James Almendinger, Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, AM2
Mark Edlund, Earth Science, Geology and Geophysics, ASM
Carrie Jennings, Geology and Geophysics, AM2
Joe Magner, Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, AM2
Tyson Ochsner, Soil, Water, and Climate, AM2
Pamela Rice, Soil, Water, and Climate, AM2

Senior Research Associate
Richard Axler, Natural Resources Research Institute, Duluth, SM
Brian Hill, Biology, Duluth, ASM
George Host, Natural Resources Research Institute, Duluth, SM
Lucinda Johnson, Natural Resources Research Institute, Duluth, SM

Research Associate
Euan Reavie, Natural Resources Research Institute, Duluth, M2
Naomi Zeitouni, Applied Economics, SM

Senior Fellow
Lawrence Baker, Water Resources Center, SM

Other
Lorin Hatch, HDR Engineering Inc, AM2

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